Samsung SideSync

Samsung is one of the best when it comes to Android customization features. This is an interesting one: SideSync (the link goes to GSMArena post, as it has more explanation rather than just the video). It's a very interesting feature where you can share screen and all. There is just one trouble: you need a Samsung PC for that, which is a very grave downside. I think Samsung is trying to protect its sales of PC (including notebook PC and tablet PC). Let's wish that they change their mind soon. By the way, the companion app in Android is already available in Samsung's own App Market. There is quite some complain on the availability of the program on the Samsung PC side, though.

Module Review: 2012/2013 Semester II

Note: Please note that there might be differences between modules in semester 1 and semester 2

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My Module Reviews

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CS2020 - Data Structures and Algorithm Accelerated (6 MC) (Closed Book Exam - Cheat-sheet allowed)

A very interesting module. This is an accelerated module, so the pacing of the materials is also quite fast. If you don't think you can take it, don't. If you think you can, take it. It's worth the difficulty. You don't learn some things that your peers are learning, but you learn something they don't, too. Also, since the class is full of the smart kids, you will be challenged to be better. The teacher and tutors are very good, too. The language used is Java. I freaked out the first few weeks because of the sudden assignments and coming from CS1010 (most of the students there came from CS1101S so I made a lot of new friends), I don't know some stuff which is taught in CS1101S on some Computer Science must-know.

Workload: One coding quiz, two quizzes, one final exam, and regular take-home problem sets (count it as one problem set per week which consists of differing number of work and difficulty for the week).

CS2100 - Computer Organisation (4 MC) (Closed Book Exam - Cheat-sheet allowed)

This is an amazing module. The materials is quite unrelated to programming, but giving basic ideas of how computer works to computing student (not as deep as electrical engineering knowledge, but you could understand some conversations by electrical engineers in your batch on circuit). Basic circuitry was foundation only, to understand how the computers are built from those circuits and make them good enough to handle the tasks you give to the processors. Really, not as deep as electrical engineering but should astound you on how amazing the computer is. The other amazing fact about this module is that despite the difficulty of the term tests, the bell curve is very competitive.

Workload: weekly labs (second half of the semester), 4 assignments, two term tests, one final exam.

MA1521 - Calculus for Computing (4 MC) (Closed Book Exam - Cheat-sheet allowed)

Just another calculus, though when compared to JC level math, this is more in-depth because you are taught the things behind the formula as well. The teacher was known as the one who likes to give mind-challenging question (though my final was quite OK compared to his usual questions). Nothing much could be said. In simple term, this is just another "practice hard" math. But if you look more than just score, this module teaches the foundation of calculus which is not as hard as the module for Engineering students (as the lecturer claimed, this is "Calculus for Computing", not "in Computing", and computing uses calculus arguably more rarely than engineering).

Workload: 3 assignments (due one week after each assignment announcement), one mid term test and one final exam.

IS1103 - Computing and Society (4 MC) (Open Book Exam)

A module on ethicality in computing. Due to the materials on ethicality, this module will touches on the philosophy of ethics as well. Discussion-based class (which participation was said to be graded). Some topics included piracy, hacking, and virus.

Workload: maintain blog (at least 3 posts), one project (either a social innovation or case study) and one final exam (essays). Class participation is expected.

LSM1302 - Genes and Society (4 MC) (Closed Book Exam)

A very technical module. Compare to LSM1301 (look on my previous review), this is a much harder module. Not only the materials were deeper, there was humanity concept as well that is being taught (though it was not really tested in the final exam). I must commend the lecturer, though, for he is a fun guy which could make everyone in the room suddenly laughing so hard when they were just looking blindly on the screen due to the materials being very dull. The final exam, though, is quite a killer. Many of the questions  (all MCQ) were the type A, B, C, A&B, A&B&C, and their variations.

Workload: three major assignments (one of them being making a brochure) and one final exam.

ACC1002X - Financial Accounting (4 MC) (Closed Book Exam - Cheat-sheet allowed)

A very hard and technical module. I half-regretted taking this module. Firstly, the bell curve is super crazy. Secondly, you must work consistently to understand everything. Thirdly, the lecturer for the second half of the semester was not very clear in communicating the materials. Fourthly, most of the materials are US-based accounting (so some discrepancy from Singapore's way of doing stuff). Luckily, my tutor was very knowledgeable and good at teaching.

Workload: Continuous group project per week (starts after recess week, only one presentation needed but still need to answer some questions weekly in the group), one mid term test, one final exam.

Total MC - Sem 2     : 26

Total MC - Sem 1     : 20

Total MC - Overall    : 46

Turbulenz Game Engine

https://turbulenz.com/

Just a share on an interesting website. Well, it is an open source HTML5 game engine, but I go there to play fun games that are free. Enjoy!

Famo.us : Reinventing multiple platform compatibility of web application

You could try their demo here: http://famo.us/ . It has first-person-shooter-like navigation on laptop (have not tried yet on touch devices, though it should be fully compatible).

The interesting stuff is not in the demo. It is actually in the thought process. I think it is very interesting to see how people are now pushing the boundaries of web applications although the web itself has been existent for much longer. I attached the video below.

Internet and Productivity

I’m still here: back online after a year without the internet

A very nice sharing of Internet not being the reason for you to be not productive. It's quite long, but you should get the story halfway the article :)

Cock-a-Doodle-Do

A sketch of mine for the logo of an idea me and my partner had during NUS Orbital Ignition hackathon. The idea was a site for anyone to post anything, which leads to the idea of "talk cock" thus the logo of talking cock. We didn't proceed with the idea, though.

3D Visual in Browser without Plugin

Epic Citadel

Interesting development of browser-based application. I tried Epic Citadel before on my iPad. This is the same thing in browser without any plugin needed (though it does not really in Chrome, but works well in Firefox). Web-based application is gaining attention lately for its versatility and universality across platforms.

E-Ink Tablet for Writing

Yeay! The gadget that I have been waiting for! Hope it is manufactured soon!!

Sony prepares a 13.3-inch e-ink stylus-enabled tablet for students

$2 Capacitive Stylus

I thought that was bullshit, then I experimented from some other materials. It worked!!! On my first try, I didn't have any aluminium foil, so I tried using a paperclip since I supposed it is a conductive metal. I didn't use any pen casing, only wet cotton bud (well, some call it Q-tip or cotton swab, but it is called cotton bud in Indonesia) and an unbent paperclip. So, I know the physics behind is that you need to touch the metal which touches the wet cotton for it to work as a stylus, so I did just that. Hold the paperclip with my left hand and ensure it touched the wet cotton, then I navigate the wet cotton on my Galaxy SIII. Eureka!!!

Obviously, I was not satisfied. I bought an aluminium foil (costed me SGD 1.80) and what I did was wrapped it on the cotton bud, pour water into the cotton, VOILA! Perfect stylus with a very high working degree!!! Tip or side, they just worked well!

Here is the "stylus":

What could I do with it?

These two are my attempts at using the stylus. There was no need to keep erasing and sketching (as opposed to just draw a line once). Just that my handwriting becomes quite bad on touchscreens and I just suck at drawing.

Here is my attempt at designing a logo for Pycon Sg 2013 (the S would be the python while the g, well, I just thought of a poisonous animal/bug and it would be a wasp). Again, I sucked at drawing so I scrapped the plan to develop further.

Is there a price on design? - Updated

Recently, I have been browsing through laptop catalogs. I found some that have higher price but nicer design and feel. That popped a question in my mind: do we put price on design?

I looked at Sony Vaio S Series. Indeed, for the given specification, it is more expensive compared to other laptop's of similar or even better specification such as from ASUS or HP. However, Vaio S Series has probably the thinnest profile for such size of given specification. Also, it is much lighter than ASUS better counterpart (N series). HP Envy ultrabook, while cheaper, has no CD slot (though not many using it now, but some school work needed to be burnt on CD requires it, thus the inclusion on comparison). HP Pavilion, which best spec has cheaper price, is large in term of size and heavier.

Some laptop are heavier than their look. ASUS N series comes here again. I was considering it when I saw my friend carrying it around. I wanted to see the build quality so I borrowed it from him. It was much heavier than how it looks, especially with its sleek design. HP Envy is light enough, though it is still heavier by a little compared to its look. I found Vaio S as heavy as how it looks. People like to tell me that I am a boy, so I should not fret heavy laptop. But I always like light laptop and possibly of smaller size. Possibly it is just my preference, or that I am just lazy carrying around powerful laptop that is heavy and big.

I decided to put a price on design. I deem it worth the money for all the weight shed and the shrunk size. I would not say the same thing on Mac family, though. I agree that Macs look to have better build, and obviously nothing can beat Macbook Air thin, light and sleek profile yet. But the exorbitant price on Mac may not be comparable to PC since the price put on Mac OS X may be different than that of Windows, thus comparison might not be of equal ground.

*Update:
John Ive (in a small part of the article) talks about how hard it is to measure design, because you cannot associate number with it (unlike hard drive). Probably this is the reason people do not want to put price on design; it is hard to be scaled. http://stratechery.com/2013/jony-ive-is-not-a-graphic-designer/